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A fun novelty game that appeals to kids of all ages

My Dad generally buys his grandchildren board games as gifts. Some can be a bit of a disappointment but 'Spashy the Whale' was purchased a couple of years ago and has proven to be one of the better novelty games available.

The concept of this game is a fairly familiar one, involving some level of delicacy and co-ordination. The players have to take turns to remove small items from under the tongue of a large plastic whale, using a (rather flimsy) plastic fishing rod without disturbing the creature. The twist to this game is that, if disturbed, the whale will squirt out water from its little spray holes, giving the player a nasty and rather wet surprise!

Initial set-up is minimal as all of the pieces come ready assembled and fit back into the box after each use. Three AA batteries are needed which aren't suppied. The game also needs filling up with water before playing, which is pretty straightforward as the water container is simply accessed by a little pull up flap on the base. A child can do this themselves although it's probably wiser to allow an adult to supervise, judging by the mess my oldest son creates with tap water splashing back at him. The water may need topping up after every few games or so, depending on how skilful (or how silly) the players are being. Generally speaking, by the time the whale has run out of water, the kids will have lost interest anyway so it doesn't usually disrupt play.

The game is not a particularly difficult or complex one and, whilst the official recommendation is for children over five, this can easily be modified to include much younger children who will most likely love the added drama of getting wet whilst playing a board game! I think three plus is a pretty realistic option, although my two year old has joined in with the game happily too. It is worth considering that the pieces to fish out are very small plastic shapes (all various nautical items such as life-preservers, anchors, fish bones and seahorses) and would pose a choking hazard to curious little ones, so parental supervision is needed if toddlers are around.

The level of skill needed to fish out the items without disturbing the whale is actually pretty limited. As an adult player, I find it pretty difficult to knock the tongue hard enough to make the whale start squirting. My ten year old is also pretty adept at this game but it is one that he still enjoys and it is a game that the whole family can join in without older children or adults becoming bored too easily. My kids do exaggerate the difficulty when they choose to and my oldest son is perfectly capable of removing all of the pieces without setting off the whale at all. He finds it much more fun to deliberately set off the whale, however, and always cheats slightly be sitting to one side to avoid the full force of the spray - hoping to catch one of his siblings instead! My five year old, of course, loves the drama and silliness of the game, even though he's not the most even-handed of players and usually suffers the worst of the squirting. Fortunately, even when sprayed deliberately, there isn't actually that much water released and it doesn't create as much mess as you might imagine.

The winner of the game should depend on the number and type of objects that each player has managed to collect, as the different pieces are worth different numbers of points, depending on the difficulty involved in catching them. My oldest son is quite competitive and always makes a beeline for the pieces worth the most points, whereas the rest of us simply grab what we can! The official method does mean that there is some educational value to the game, through the addition of all of the points to determine the winner, although this can be simplified by just counting up the individual items instead.

'Splashy the Whale' is currently available from Toys R Us half price at just £9.99. I think this is an excellent price, considering the game's durability and ongoing entertainment value. Whilst children won't be playing this for hours at a time its silliness and simplicity, not to mention the added excitement of getting wet, does mean that it's a game that they will return to again and again. We own quite a few novelty games of this type but this is one of the best and most popular in our household.

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Buckaroo style game but with an added suprise!!

After a trip around Toys R Us, I stumbled across this gem. The game is in the same vein as Buckaroo and operation but has the added element of a splash of water is you make a mistake! Now... I'm going to be honest, although this was a treat for my 3 year old brother, I couldn't wait to get home and give it a whirl!

On the box it says that the game is appropriate for children ages 5 and up, but as long as you supervise the younger children with the smaller pieces, it's great for them too!

When I opened the box I expected to be greeted with a flimsy, plasticcy toy that my brother would be able to break after the first round, but I was pleasantly suprised. It is a sturdy contraption which , as of yet, my brother hasn't managed to destroy!

One thing that I also love about this game is that the splash is not the feeble dribble that I imagined from a kids toy but a jet that properly soaks you!! This feature makes the game great for older members of the family as well!

One thing I will say is that the tongue of the toy, whilst being sensitive enough for kids, doesn't react to the more talented members of the family (me!), so we've adapted the rules and are now allowed to use our hands rather than the fishing rod, as this is a bit more fiddly and produces more splashes!

Although it is battery powered, they seem to last a long time. I brought Tesco value batteries and they have lasted several weeks.

I would definitely recommend this game for both the kids and the big kids of the family! Also, a couple of weeks ago Toys R us had a half price offer on this game so it may be checking the website first!

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See review.

The toy I am now going to review was bought for my kids quite some time ago, and after a clear out or off I should say (the top of my daughters wardrobe is a disgrace!), my kids suddenly decided that actually they have always loved this game!

The game I will now review is - "Splashy the whale game".

The idea behind buying this initially is of course the fact that this is a game that splashes the child/adult player, and also the reason why it got relegated to the top of the wardrobe for so long, but now the weather has so nice they can go outside and play to their hearts content, and they have done.....for hours!

The set comprises of the main unit, which is a whale, mouth wide open, mounted upon a wave base, within which the water is held until squirted out during the game.

To start with the batteries should be inserted, this unit takes 4 x AA batteries, but is held within a water tight section on the base, although the use of water is not immense there is always the chance the batteries would get wet and start leaking somehow, this has so far not happened due to the rubber seal within the battery chamber.

Once set up the next action should be the filling of the water chamber. This can be done via a screw lidded hole on the top of the wave base, a slow flow of water is best advised as the air needs a chance to come out else the water just bubbles back on itself and it takes forever to achieve!

Once filed and the lid screw tightly back on (the screw is attached to the base with a small plastic tube, meaning it won't get lost!), you simply add the "flotsam and jetsam" into the whales open mouth and the game can begin.

The premise of the game is quite similar to that of Operation, with the chid having to "hook" the plastic pieces from the bottom of the whales mouth with the hooked fishing rod provided.

The difference is of course the fact that once the hook catches the tongue and lifts it, even slightly, two reasonably prolonged squirts of water shoot out from the whales "blow holes" situated just above the whales top lip, this means that the unit has to be turned to face the player before they even attempt their turn, as the water shoots straight only!

The rules for play again are simple, take your turn and if you get squirted miss your go, but at the end of the game whoever has the most items caught wins the game, with items ranging from the easy to hook such as anchors and life rings through to the down right difficult fish bones and sea horses!

No matter how good you are at the game you are guaranteed to get squirted numerous amounts of times, though if played properly you should have enough water in the tank for a good game, my kids get to the stage where they deliberately set the tongue off and have to have the tank refilled halfway through!

The entire set including pieces are made from plastic and so far have been exceedingly robust, especially with the added handling of the main unit to adjust the position within the game, the smaller pieces though could be deemed as a choking hazard to the younger child, though as this game would appeal to children from quite young upwards, if watched over the younger child would love this game, though the recommended age is 5+, my son has been playing with this since he was 3!

There is no real restriction on numbers of players that can play at the same time, nothing but room, obviously as long as they can all fit around the table they can play!

Price wise this is available from www.amazon.co.uk for around the £10.99 mark.

For more information visit - www.character-online.co.uk

This is a lovely set that has so far kept my children entertained since it's discovery on the wardrobe, though this is not a game I would let my kids play indoors, so as long as the weather holds so will the playing!

Thanks for reading x

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Overall, a great little gift idea

Sometimes it's nice to sit down and play a fun little game that doesn't tax you and doesn't take much thinking and this charming game called Splashy the Whale is just that. I first played it last year round a friend's house with their children who loved it. Since then I have bought one for myself but my sons are too young at the moment to play as it's recommended for 5 years and up which is probably about right to appreciate what's going on. Having said that my son does show an interest in the whale already if I get it out of the box. We have tested out the game on one or two occasions this year and are just waiting to play it with him now. I purchased this for about £10 on Amazon so it's not a bad gift idea for someone's birthday or for Christmas.

The aim of the game is to try and fish out various items like fish and other sea creatures from the mouth of the whale. However, you have to be very careful not to touch the tongue as if you do he will squirt water at you. It is a great game for 2 players or more and is immense fun for kids and adults alike. Among the items you have to try and rescue from his mouth are sea horses, fish bones and anchors.

Getting the game set up is very easy to be honest with you as you just take spashy out of the box, fill him up with water and put him back on his stand. You will of course also need 4 AA size batteries for it to work. Then you put all the plastic items in the mouth and the fun begins and you can get fishing!

Each player takes it in turn to get a piece of their choosing out of this mouth while trying to avoid being squirted. Depending on what you fish out they all have different points amounts.

This game is very funny and it's a great laugh when someone gets splashed and they think they have got away with it. Can get a bit messy but it's great entertainment for the whole family. I guess it's a bit stupid but is a nice little idea for a game even if the appeal may wear off quite quickly

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At the price it is now it is really worth picking up

I was visiting London in February 2009 with my sister and my son. When you take a child to London it is pretty essential to take them to the wonder that is Hamleys! When we reached the games floor in Hamleys my son was immediately drawn to Splashy the Whale, a character options game, which he had wanted since Christmas! I know I paid over £20 for the game but I believe you can now get it for probably almost half of that price!

The game is a really simple idea but as it involves people getting squirted with water children will love it!

The game comes with the main part which is the actual splashy the whale, there are then various sea type pieces such as fish bones, life rings etc. There is also one fishing rod. You start by filling the splashy whale with water and then need to add the pieces into his mouth. You take it in turns to fish out the pieces from his mouth. Each piece has a point's value so the harder to get pieces are obviously worth more points. Be warned if you trigger Splashys tongue you are going to get wet! The whale also randomly will just squirt so you may get wet even if you don't touch the whales tongue!

My son thinks it is hilarious when I get squirted in the face with the game! It's important to remember to turn the whale towards each player when it is their turn or one person will get squirted all the time! You do get a good amount of water squirted at you too!

We haven't played this game in quite a while and at the price I paid it was quite expensive, but I think if you can pick it up for around ten pounds it will be worth it and a game young children will love! The recommended age is from age five plus but I think children from as young as three would enjoy this!

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A games cupboard must have!!!

Splashy the whale has been having fun in the ocean splashing about but this has filled her mouth up with all sorts of ocean life things eg seahorses, fish bones, anchors, submarine and life preservers!! Spashy needs some help!....

Using the 1 fishing rod provided, players take it it turns to remove the items from splashys mouth. Each object is worth a different value of points that are stated on the instruction leaflet. The player with the most amount of points wins.There are suprises in store though as Splashy is a ticklish whale!! If you tickle her tongue then you will get a splash of your own!... and it is a very big, wet splash, not just a little drizzle! She also squirts at random times in the game too! If you get squirted then your turn is up and you pass the rod onto the next player.

That is the official way of playing it however with my 4 year old son I find it is much simpler to ditch the points system and for even younger ones (or more sensitive!) I have even played it without missing turns when you get squited. This is because Splashy does splash quite frequently!!

The possibilities of play are as limited or as varied as your imagination allows. We have had races of who can get all the things out in the quickest time, or challenges as to who gets squirted the least, this means it is suitable to play alone even though it says 2+ players. Of course it is more fun to play as a family though.It is great fun, especially with older ones , to change the miss a turn rule when you get splashed to a forfeit too!

The manufactor recommends age 5+ but my little one has had this from 3 and it has been a firm favourite of his for ages! I imagine it is just because of the small parts.

The game is very easy to set up, fill the resevoir up with tap water and replace cap, place all the objects in Splashys mouth, turn on, and you're ready to play! Beware though as Splashy lets off a huge splash when woken up!!

Splashy and all the pieces are made from a good quality plastic so will last a long time if looked after. (requires 4 AA batteries)

There are educational benefits eg fine motor skills, counting, social skills but ultimately this is all about FUN FUN FUN!!!

This game has been a favourite in our house, it always gets lots of laughs and squeals everytime, and even though you are expecting it, the splash does give you a shock everytime! You will get wet!

A little trick to play on the family member who always moves out of the way of the splash, is to secretly turn Splashy off and on again- the switch is quite discreet at the side of the unit so can be done! That way they get the extra big splash to make up for all the cheating!!

This game is a little pricy at £17.99- available from most toy stores- I got mine from Toys R Us. It was a great addition to our games cupboard, and well worth the price tag but it may be worth shopping around for a bargain.

A must buy game, one of the best we've ever had I'd say!Definitely recommend!!

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Great game for the kids

My son got this game for his birthday last October and he loves it. The object of the game is fish out the items of the whale's mouth. There is one fishing rod provided and the players take it in turns to hook out an item with the fishing rod. The whale moves from side to side and then squirts you with water which the kids find hilarious. Its really funny to watch.

After a few months of excessive playing with this game it did stop working. At first we thought it was the batteries but it still didn't work after we changed them. Fortunately my husband can fix just about anything and he took it apart and fixed it and its back working. Don't let this negative comment put you off - you can buy it for a tenner and with the hours of fun involved it is definately worth it.

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fab game and great for the adults too :P

SPLASHY THE WHALE ---

AIM OF THE GAME ---

The aim of the game with splashy the whale is to fish for differnt items in his mouth things like.. fish, floats and anything sea life, but you have to be very careful if you touch his tongue he will squirt water at you.The game is suitable for 2 or more players and from 5 years up.

Setting up splasy is pretty simple you take him out of the box, remove him from his little stand.. take the bottom to the top fill it up with water bring it back put splashy back on (and of course make sure you have added the batteries before all this 4xAA) and then put all your plastic pieces in his mouth and turn him on.

Take it in turns to try and get a piece out of his mouth each piece is worth differnt points (it tells you how many there worth in the instructions)

VERDICT ---

Well this game can be very funny.. but messy aswell!My niece who is 5 got this for christmas me being the daft one didnt know anything about it noone told me i came in the room and was like oh yea ill play.. so i stuck the rod in the whales mouth not expecting anything and i got soaked... i actually jumped... and they were all telling me before i did this to bend down.. oh no they were saying its harder when your on your knees so bend down.. obvisouly so then the water would spray in my face!The kids love it... they realy do just put a towel on the floor or something but dont expect to be dry when you have finished playing a realy realy good game!

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The best game I have played with my family in ages

Back in the Woolworth's online summer sale I saw this Splashy the Whale game priced at about £6 or £7. I like to buy my children a game for Christmas and couldn't resist such a bargain as the game usually retails at around £15.

The manufacturers recommended age range is 5 and over and it is recommended for 2 or more players.

Splashy is a whale with a very big mouth. With Splashy you get a small fishing rod and lots of sea related plastic pieces such as seahorses, fish bones and buoyancy aids. Splashy stands on a plinth and all this comes as one piece so you have nothing to put together before you play. He needs 4 x AA batteries which are not included so you will need to insert these before you can start your game. The batteries fit inside a secure section in the bottom of the plinth and a screwdriver is needed to get inside.

Once you have inserted your batteries you are ready to play. The idea of the game is to fill Splashy's mouth with all your plastic pieces and then carefully try to get the pieces out using the rod. Be careful though because Splashy squirts water if you move his big tongue! Each player takes a turn until all the pieces have been removed. You have to remember to move round to face the whale or turn the whale to face the player or someone else gets a soaking!

I was expecting to be disappointed by this game. I bought it because it was a bargain and because the idea appealed to me. I filled the base up with water using the hole in the top of the plinth. I used a small watering can but you could fill it straight from the tap. I set the game up for my two children aged four and three and pressed the on switch (located on the side) and waited for the little dribble of water I was expecting!

My children got the hang of the game very quickly despite being under the recommended age range. Obviously you need quite a steady hand to get the pieces out from under the Whales tongue and two young excited children couldn't stay calm enough for this. When Splashy squirted his water it went everywhere! The water comes out in a big arch from the top of his head as the plinth moves and makes splashy move as if he were swimming on the water! I think about three big jets come out of the top of his head. This caused much squealing and excitement and from then on my children deliberately tried to move Splashy's tongue to make him squirt. Consequently the water didn't last very long and he had to be refilled several times.

This game was played a lot over the Christmas holidays and after a few goes my children decided that it was best to get undressed before starting the game so that their clothes didn't get soaked! Even the Grandparents enjoyed this game even though they did cheat and leave the whale pointed in the children's direction when it was their turn to avoid the water.

I am so pleased with this game and I would definitely recommend it for any child aged about 2/3 or over as it is very enjoyable. I would say that you should only play it in an area that cannot be damaged by water as it gets everywhere!

I would not have bought the game if it has been at the normal price of £15.00. I know that www.argos.co.uk are currently (Jan 2009) selling the game at £9.79 and I think this is a much more reasonable price. If you shop around I'm sure you would be able to get a bargain.